Published: August 16, 2008 08:02 pm            

Evva Las Vegas

Local MMA fighter Evva Johnson wins big in Vegas

Somerset — Evva Johnson has dedicated most of her life to the sport of martial arts, and earlier this month the 23-year-older got her chance to show the rest of the world her mixed martial arts skills in the Tuff-N-Uff Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Championships in Las Vegas, Nev.

Johnson, a 2003 Pulaski County High School graduate, began taking karate lessons at the age of six-years old. During those 17 years of martial arts training, Johnson has won 9 Grand Champion belts, has earned a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a first degree black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and is at a level 3 in the art of Hayastan — which is a combination of Sambo, Judo and Jiu-Jitsu.

But after a lifetime of mastering the martial arts, Johnson and her coach Jeff Turner felt it was time for Johnson to step into the rough and rugged world of Mixed Martial Arts Fighting.

“Evva has been a student of mine ever since I took over the Somerset Karate Academy back in 1992,” Turner said. “She earned a junior black belt by the time she was 13 years old.”

Earlier in the year, Turner put together a world class team of instructors to help better train Johnson, and other students, in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.

Johnson has been trained by world renowned Jiu-Jitsu instructors Gokar Chivichyan and Gene Lebell of North Hollywood, Calif., Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor Darin Durham and Mixed Martial Arts instructor Larry Combs. Turner instructed Johnson in Hayastan and striking techniques.

“The purpose of putting together this collection of pure forms of martial arts was to developed a complete Mixed Martial Arts athlete,” Turner explained.

Johnson’s quick rise in the world of amateur Mixed Martial Arts fighting has been nothing short of spectacular.

Just over a month ago, Johnson won her first MMA amateur fight in a first round choke out of Nicole Powers of the Lexington Four Seasons Club.

A few days later, Johnson was recommended by her North Hollywood Jiu-Jitsu instructor Chivichyan for the Las Vegas Tuff-N-Uff Championships.

‘The promoters of the event wanted a good female MMA fighter. Out of all the MMA female fighters in the nation, Chivichyan recommended Evva (Johnson),” Turner said.

Johnson had no problems destroying Susannah Clayton of San Diego’s City Boxing Club in the Las Vegas Tuff-N-Uff event. It only took Johnson 24 seconds to to get on top of her opponent in a ‘ground-and-pound’ submission position, which resulted in a referee stoppage and a 2-0 amateur record for Johnson.

Johnson’s performance was so impressive the promoters have invited her back to the Las Vegas venue at the Orleans Hotel and Casino for Oct. 17.

Johnson and Turner have requested that the local MMA fighter be matched up Karina Hallinan of the San Diego Fight Team.

“Hallinan was the best female MMA fighter we saw at Vegas in Evva’s weight class and that is who we want to fight next,” Turner stated.

While Johnson’s rise in the MMA fighting world has been quick, the adjustment from training in martial arts to training for MMA fights has been a big transition for the Eastern Kentucky University Biomechanics major.

“I trained in Jiu-Jitsu two nights a week, I train in Mixed Martial Arts one night a week, and then the rest of my free time I am running, swimming, lifting weights and doing cardio training,” Johnson said.

On top of her school load at EKU, Johnson teaches a karate class every evening at the Somerset Karate Academy.

“I have always loved martial arts for myself, but it has also allowed me to teach others and work with kids in martial arts at the YMCA,” Johnson said. “I like working with the kids and I hope I can be a positive role model for them.”

Besides Johnson’s time management struggles, she has also had to change from a form of non-contact martial arts to a more aggressive contact instinct to survive the brutal sport of MMA.

“I have always been sort of a tomboy and have never really been a real prissy type of girl,” Johnson admitted. “But in my 17 years of martial arts, I had always been trained to stop my punches or kicks before contact. But now, I have to be aggressive and follow through with my striking.”

However, Johnson relies more on her grappling techniques and submission holds than her striking moves.

“I try to get my opponent on the ground as soon as I can,” Johnson explained. “If I get them on their backs, I will just ‘ground-and-pound’ them. Or if I get them on their stomachs, I will try to get them in some form of a submission hold.”

“It is sort of intimidating fighting in a MMA bout, but it is exciting,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to be nervous in fear that I might defeat myself mentally.”

Johnson’s climb in the sport of amateur MMA fighting comes with a heavy financial price tag and she hopes to one day gain a sponsor, but as of now Johnson has relied on the support of the local community to help pay her way to Las Vegas and finance her training.

Johnson’s sponsors include Ward Correll of Lake Cumberland Shell, HVAC, Southern Petroleum, Alton Blakley Dealership, Richard Ramsey, Dr. Stugan and family, Dr. Jaime Martin, Steve Woods and family, Scott Gulock, Kis Photo, Rick Girdler Shelter Insurance and Somerset Karate students. Also, anyone wanting to help Johnson can donate at Kis Photo, Somerset Karate Academy or Nelson Valley Grocery.

        

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